Abstract: A method for applying a coating to a surface includes the step of providing a reaction mixture comprising a silicon alkoxide and an alcohol. A reaction limiting amount of water is added. The silicon alkoxides and water are allowed to react to form silica precursor particles during an initial reaction period. A coating precursor composition is prepared by adding an acid soluble in the alcohol to the reaction mixture during a second reaction period after the initial reaction period. The precursor silica particles grow to form silica nanofeatures having a major dimension that is larger than a major dimension of the silica precursor particles. The coating precursor composition is applied to a surface, and the alcohol and water are allowed to evaporate and the silica nanofeatures to adhere to the surface and form a nanostructured layer on the surface. A coating precursor composition and a coated article are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for applying a coating to a surface includes the step of providing a reaction mixture comprising a silicon alkoxide and an alcohol. A reaction limiting amount of water is added. The silicon alkoxides and water are allowed to react to form silica precursor particles during an initial reaction period. A coating precursor composition is prepared by adding an acid soluble in the alcohol to the reaction mixture during a second reaction period after the initial reaction period. The precursor silica particles grow to form silica nanofeatures having a major dimension that is larger than a major dimension of the silica precursor particles. The coating precursor composition is applied to a surface, and the alcohol and water are allowed to evaporate and the silica nanofeatures to adhere to the surface and form a nanostructured layer on the surface. A coating precursor composition and a coated article are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for applying a coating to a surface includes the step of providing a reaction mixture comprising a silicon alkoxide and an alcohol. A reaction limiting amount of water is added. The silicon alkoxides and water are allowed to react to form silica precursor particles during an initial reaction period. A coating precursor composition is prepared by adding an acid soluble in the alcohol to the reaction mixture during a second reaction period after the initial reaction period. The precursor silica particles grow to form silica nanofeatures having a major dimension that is larger than a major dimension of the silica precursor particles. The coating precursor composition is applied to a surface, and the alcohol and water are allowed to evaporate and the silica nanofeatures to adhere to the surface and form a nanostructured layer on the surface. A coating precursor composition and a coated article are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are several examples of an apparatus for connecting the free ends of two electrical power transmission lines having conductor strands disposed around a central, reinforcing core. The examples include an inner sleeve having a body defining an inner bore passing through an axially-extending, central axis, an outer rim surface disposed radially outward from the central bore, and one or more axially-extending grooves penetrating the body at the outer rim surface. Also included is an outer splice having a tubular shaped body with a bore passing coaxially through the central axis, the bore defining an inner rim surface for accepting the inner sleeve. The inner bore of the inner sleeve accepts the reinforcement cores of the two conductors, and the grooves accept the conductor strands in an overlapping configuration so that a majority of the electrical current flows between the overlapped conductor strands when the conductors are transmitting electrical current.

Abstract: Disclosed are several examples of an apparatus for connecting the free ends of two electrical power transmission lines having conductor strands disposed around a central, reinforcing core. The examples include an inner sleeve having a body defining an inner bore passing through an axially-extending, central axis, an outer rim surface disposed radially outward from the central bore, and one or more axially-extending grooves penetrating the body at the outer rim surface. Also included is an outer splice having a tubular shaped body with a bore passing coaxially through the central axis, the bore defining an inner rim surface for accepting the inner sleeve. The inner bore of the inner sleeve accepts the reinforcement cores of the two conductors, and the grooves accept the conductor strands in an overlapping configuration so that a majority of the electrical current flows between the overlapped conductor strands when the conductors are transmitting electrical current.

Abstract: A multi-domained bulk REBa2CU3Ox with low-angle domain boundaries which resemble a quasi-single domained material and a method for producing the same comprising arranging multiple seeds, which can be small single crystals, single domained melt-textured REBa2CU3Ox pieces, textured substrates comprises of grains with low misorientation angles, or thick film REBa2CU3Ox deposited on such textured substrate, such seeds being tailored for various REBa2CU3Ox compounds, in specific pattern and relative seed orientations on a superconductor precursor material which may be placed in contact with a porous substrate so as to reduce the amount of liquid phase in the melt. Because seeds can be arranged in virtually any pattern, high quality REBa2CU3Ox elements of virtually unlimited size and complex geometry can be fabricated.

Abstract: A laminate article consists of a substrate and a biaxially textured protective layer over the substrate. The substrate can be biaxially textured and also have reduced magnetism over the magnetism of Ni. The substrate can be selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, iron, aluminum, silver and alloys containing any of the foregoing. The protective layer can be selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and nickel and alloys containing any of the foregoing. The protective layer is also non-oxidizable under conditions employed to deposit a desired, subsequent oxide buffer layer. Layers of YBCO, CeO2, YSZ, LaAlO3, SrTiO3, Y2O3, RE2O3, SrRuO3, LaNiO3 and La2ZrO3 can be deposited over the protective layer. A method of forming the laminate article is also disclosed.

Abstract: A laminate article comprises a substrate and a biaxially textured (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer over the substrate, wherein 0<x≦0.70 and RE is selected from the group consisting of La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Th, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu. A is selected from the group consisting of Zr+4, Ce+4, Sn+4, and Hf+4. The (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer can be deposited using sol-gel or metal-organic decomposition. The laminate article can include a layer of YBCO over the (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer. A layer of CeO2 between the YBCO layer and the (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer can also be include. Further included can be a layer of YSZ between the CeO2 layer and the (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer. The substrate can be a biaxially textured metal, such as nickel. A method of forming the laminate article is also disclosed.

Abstract: A laminate article comprises a substrate and a biaxially textured (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer over the substrate, wherein 0<x≦0.70 and RE is selected from the group consisting of La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu. A is selected from the group consisting of Zr+4, Ce+4, Sn+4, and Hf+4. The (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer can be deposited using sol-gel or metal-organic decomposition. The laminate article can include a layer of YBCO over the (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer. A layer of CeO2 between the YBCO layer and the (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer can also be include. Further included can be a layer of YSZ between the CeO2 layer and the (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer. The substrate can be a biaxially textured metal, such as nickel. A method of forming the laminate article is also disclosed.

Abstract: A multi-domained bulk REBa2Cu3Ox with low-angle domain boundaries which resembles a quasi-single domained material and a method for producing the same comprising arranging multiple seeds, which can be small single crystals, single domained melt-textured REBa2Cu3Ox pieces, textured substrates comprised of grains with low misorientation angles, or thick film REBa2Cu3Ox deposited on such textured substrate, such seeds being tailored for various REBa2Cu3Ox compounds, in specific pattern and relative seed orientations on a superconductor precursor material which may be placed in contact with a porous substrate so as to reduce the amount of liquid phase in the melt. Because seeds can be arranged in virtually any pattern, high quality REBa2Cu3Ox elements of virtually unlimited size and complex geometry can be fabricated.

Abstract: Buffer layer architectures are epitaxially deposited on biaxially-textured rolled substrates of nickel and/or copper and their alloys for high current conductors, and more particularly buffer layer architectures such as Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, YSZ/Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, (RE=Rare Earth), RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /CeO.sub.2 /Ni, and RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /YSZ/CeO.sub.2 /Ni, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, YSZ/Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /CeO.sub.2 /Cu, and RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /YSZ/CeO.sub.2 /Cu. Deposition methods include physical vapor deposition techniques which include electron-beam evaporation, rf magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, thermal evaporation, and solution precursor approaches, which include chemical vapor deposition, combustion CVD, metal-organic decomposition, sol-gel processing, and plasma spray.

Abstract: Buffer layer architectures are epitaxially deposited on biaxially-textured rolled substrates of nickel and/or copper and their alloys for high current conductors, and more particularly buffer layer architectures such as Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, YSZ/Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, (RE=Rare Earth), RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /CeO.sub.2 /Ni, and RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /YSZ/CeO.sub.2 /Ni, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, YSZ/Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /CeO.sub.2 /Cu, and RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /YSZ/CeO.sub.2 /Cu. Deposition methods include physical vapor deposition techniques which include electron-beam evaporation, rf magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, thermal evaporation, and solution precursor approaches, which include chemical vapor deposition, combustion CVD, metal-organic decomposition, sol-gel processing, and plasma spray.

Abstract: Buffer layer architectures are epitaxially deposited on biaxially-textured rolled substrates of nickel and/or copper and their alloys for high current conductors, and more particularly buffer layer architectures such as Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, YSZ/Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /CeO.sub.2 /Ni, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Ni (RE=Rare Earth), and Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /YSZ/CeO.sub.2 /Ni, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, YSZ/Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /CeO.sub.2 /Cu, RE.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Cu, and Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 /YSZ/CeO.sub.2 /Cu. Deposition methods include physical vapor deposition techniques which include electron-beam evaporation, rf magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, thermal evaporation, and solution precursor approach, which includes chemical vapor deposition, combustion CVD, metal-organic decomposition, sol-gel processing, and plasma spray.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and biaxially textured articles having a deformed epitaxial layer formed therefrom for use with high temperature superconductors, photovoltaic, ferroelectric, or optical devices. A buffer layer is epitaxially deposited onto biaxially-textured substrates and then mechanically deformed. The deformation process minimizes or eliminates grooves, or other irregularities, formed on the buffer layer while maintaining the biaxial texture of the buffer layer. Advantageously, the biaxial texture of the buffer layer is not altered during subsequent heat treatments of the deformed buffer. The present invention provides mechanical densification procedures which can be incorporated into the processing of superconducting films through the powder deposit or precursor approaches without incurring unfavorable high-angle grain boundaries.

Abstract: A superconducting article includes a biaxially-textured Ni substrate, and epitaxial buffer layers of Pd (optional), CeO.sub.2 and YSZ, and a top layer of in-plane aligned, c-axis oriented YBCO having a critical current density (J.sub.c) in the range of at least 100,000 A/cm.sup.2 at 77 K.